Vancouver Specials: Half Mitts
Diana Twiss
www.100MileWear.com This is a lovely half mitten, perfect for mild winters - like the kind we get out here in Vancouver - and days when there is a bit of chill, but not enough to send you to the cupboard to dig out the full mittens. Made in a chunky hand spun are a bit Dickensian; made with wool blended with silk and alpaca, they are downright elegant. You can modify the cuff to give you whatever look you want. Knit in the round on four size 5mm needles, they knit up so quickly you will find yourself making a pair for every occasion. They also make great gifts.
Vancouver Specials: Half Mitts
Yarn
Elann Highland Chunky, 2 50 gram balls (Can manage with one ball if you make the cuff a bit shorter.) or Elann Highland Wool, 2 50 gram balls and any other fingering weight yarn like Elann Baby silk, Confetti etc-yarn is doubled.
Needles
4 double pointed 5mm
Notions
waste yarn, tapestry needle
Gauge
$16~\mathsf{s t s}/22~\mathsf{r o w s}=4^{\ast}$ in stockinette stitch - gauge is not a critical issue with mittens, but do try to be close
List of Abbreviations
MIR:make one right - Insert left needle, from front to back, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on left needle and first stitch on right needle; knit this stitch through back loop.I stitch increased -right leaning. MIL: make one left - Insert left needle, from back to front, under strand of yarn which runs between last stitch on left needle and first stitch on right needle; knit this stitch through front loop.I stitch increased -left leaning. You can make these in many sizes.The size listed is for a small woman's hand, to make medium, add two stitches at the cast on, for large add four stitches.
CUFF
Cast on 24 stitches for size small. Join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches - (8, 8, 8 sts on each needle). For medium size cast on 26 (8, 10,8 sts on each needle) and for large 28 (8, 10, 10 sts on each needle). And using any of the following patterns, make a $2~\%-3$ inch cuff. Choose any of the following Rib Stitches: I) (knit I, purl I) all around - creates a narrow rib -works with multiples of 2 2) (knit 2, purl 2) all around - creates a wider rib - works with multiples of 4 3) (knit 2, purl I) all around - creates a wide rib with narrow trench- works with multiples of 3 Or you can do Mock Rib: Round I:\*knit I, purl I\*, all around - works with multiples of 2 Round 2: knit all around Repeat rounds I and 2 to create the mock rib.
Vancouver Specials: Half Mitts
THUMB GUSSET
The gusset, created through increases on the first needle creates space to accommodate the thumb. Round I: Needle I:knit I, purl I, knit 3, purl I, knit 2 (total 8 stitches) Needle 2 & 3: knit to end of round. Rounds 2 & 3: Repeat Row I Round 4: increase round Needle I:knit I, purl I, knit I, MIR, knit I, MIL, knit I, purl I, knit 2 (total 10 stitches) Follow the pursuits of a fibre artist committed to making clothing items from locally sourced wool, llama & alpaca. Hand spun, knit & dyed in Glen Valley, BC
Rounds 5 & 6: Knit all knit stitches, purl all purl stitches on needle one, and knit all the rest Round 7: increase round Needle I: knit I, purl I, knit I, MIR, knit 3, MIL, knit I, purl I, knit 2 (total 12 stitches) Needle 2 & 3: knit to end of round Rounds 8 & 9: Knit all knit stitches, purl all purl stitches on needle one, and knit all the rest Round Io: increase round Needle I: knit I, purl I, knit I, MIR, knit 5, MlL, knit I, purl I, knit 2 (total 14 stitches) Needle 2 & 3: knit to end of round Keep knitting in the round, knitting all knit stitches and purling the purl stitches on needle one. Do this until the gusset reaches the bone at the base of your thumb.
Vancouver Specials: Half Mitts
Set aside stitches for the thumb
Needle I: knit 2, (cast 3 stitches onto the right needle using backwards loops) place next 9 stitches from left needle onto scrap yarn, knit 3. (total 8 stitches) Knit in the round until you have reached one inch before the desired length. Some like to end the half mitt at the base of the fingers, I prefer a longer one, one that ends half-way up my pinky. You end the same way you started, using whatever form of rib stitch you selected for the cuff -- do 4 rows. Cast off loosely.
MAKING THETHUMB
Place 9 stitches from waste yarn onto a needle. Knit 5 of those stitches onto needle I and the last 4 on needle 2. (Leave a long tail when you join the new yarn as you may need it to fill in spaces.) Knit one round. On round 2, when you reach needle three, knit I, k2tog, knit 2. (14 stitches total for the thumb.) Pick up an additional 6 stitches, (l more on needle 2, and the last 5 on needle 3.) Make sure you pick up the 2 stitches on either edge of the held stitches, they will look like loops. Also pick up stitches from the newly cast on stitches - although you casted on 3 stitches, there will be 4 loops there. When you lift these loops to put them onto your needle, twist them, or knit into the back of them, this will tighten up the loop. Your needles will look like this: (5, 5, 5 stitches) total 15 stitches. Knit in the round until you reach the desired length. Cast off loosely. Weave in all loose ends. Diana Twiss www.100MileWear.com
